Midnight Madness [open]

The forest was a dead calm in the evening light. Though it was Konohagakure, there was a deathly silence which gripped the land.. Or at least Hybris` neck of the woods. The girls white hair swayed in the slight breeze, the cool air mixing with her hot breath which came rhythmically in slightly strained pants.

She'd be training her body for the better part of the day, only stopping for a quick lunch and then returning to the daily grind. Mornings consisted of pushups, one-hundred fift regular, one-hundred wide, followed by fifty finger pushups. It was important that every extension be in top-notch shape. A chain was only as strong as its weakest link, and so a body was also, held back by the weakest part. In one who focused on the body, it was her mind which was usually lacking.

Hybris had been careful to avoid this pitfall by reading and writing whenever she had the chance. Her latest reading had been the Encyclopedia Plantareum, a collection of vast variety of plants, animals, places and facts about the world she lived in. There was a waterfall which was so large, people had once believed it to be the drop to their underworld, sot hey would float the bodies of their fallen over the edge to plummet down into the earth and become one with nature once more. Of course, Hybris was far too intelligent and knew there was no such thing as an afterlife. No such thing as a heaven or hell. Her religious-based opinions were quite different than the typical believer. The only thing to greet her on her deathbed would be the knowledge of knowing she had lived life to the best of her absolute abilities, and in such she would have no regrets should she die in her sleep this very night.

There was also a place in Sunagakure which was said to be a rock formation completely dissolved by the acid of a rare species of Beetle, which made its home in the rock. Apparently, such rocks were rare and the beetles, over time, were forced to fight one another for living space, keeping their numbers limited. This lifestyle related to the Kaguya princess, for her clan had previously done the same thing. However, their acid was even said to be strong enough to melt metal, but it was the dissolved substance of the rock which they consumed slowly over the course of their lives.

During the off chance they were caught by a predator, they would release the poison to coat their bodies. They would be crushed and eaten, but in their death, they would literally melt the innards of the predator making it it impossible for it to consume any of the others. Hybris smiled at the thought. Perhaps it may not know it, but it had developed a way to protect those dearest to it.. It was inspiring to know that there was much more to the world he lived in than met the eye at a glance.. Even in the land of Sound, it was home to a rare species of bird which was smart enough to talk. To even hold a conversation with you. It was something she was keen on seeing with her own eyes herself one day.

Regardless, back to the panting woman in the middle of Konoha's forest, surrounding the village. Aside from push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and any other type of 'up' meant to strenghthen one's body besides throwing up, she was training her legs for speed. One might say: "Being a Taijutsu and Ninjutsu master, she's fast already.. Isn't she?". And Hybris would simply reply: "But you can always go faster!" In this particular case, Hoshiro had been running. Running at a pace so fast, it was nearly impossible for any eye to follow her movements. It was only a matter of time before she knew she would learn one could follow such movement, so she was always pushed by the thought that she was far behind the eight ball when it came to speed.

It was probable that she was the fastest freshly produced Chuunin in Konohagakure.. But that wasn't she wshe was aiming for. She had to be the fastest of the village. What good were power and accuracy if one didn't have the speed to back it up? In speed came power, and in going slower than top speed came accuracy. Being used to always going top speed was another way of becoming a more precise fighter. Though, in all honesty, this wasn't what she had in mind to begin with.

She just wanted to be really, really fast. It could have been homrmone's kicking in that she had energy to spare. It could be the fact that she was preparing for sweet ventures with the opposite sex and the quick get away from commitment. Or it could just be that she always wanted to be number one for the sake of just simply being the best out there.

Anyway, she ran. Alot. And she continued running. She took a 15 minute break to study a line of fire ants she happened to stumble upon taking down a caterpillar. And continued on after the larger of the insects were drug down into the predator's den, as a scrumptious snack for the off-spring. Whether this held any life changing revelations, she'd say not. It was the world she grew up in.

The weak became food for the strong. She saw it all the time. In every town she visited. Perhaps people weren't being eaten alive, but they were made to work for someone else to put food in another's stomach. So, in exchange for putting food in their tummy's, it promised not to eat them instead. Funny. It was not unlike a gazelle feeding a lion grass, hoping it would be too full to want to eat the prey standing before it.

She'd been at it for twenty minutes now, before she realized her thoughts had been wandering all over the place. It was like her to get distracted by heady things when working out, although her physical training was probably the most important thing in the world to her. I mean, though she was expending energy, hshe wasn't doing anything with her mind, so it often wandered about.

Trust, its much more interesting learning more about her and the way she thinks than reading about how the sweat dripped from her brow and her green eyes squinted in pain as her legs burned something fierce. Taking one last breather, before continuing on, she sat on a nearby log and removed her combat jacket, revealing nothing but the tank top she wore underneath. The cool air of the night kissed her chest, and it was a feeling all too good to replace by putting that dreadful jacket back on.

{pre Chuunin}Shin had just finished the dinner consisting of fried porkchops, and some sashimi, prepared by his single mother. After all dinners, he came to a conclusion that he should go for a walk, every night, try to ramp up his stamina levels before the chuunin exams took place in Sunagakure. It was a cool night, with little wind, the best temperature that Shin enjoyed most. there was nothing else for Shin to do anyways, so he tied up his shoes and left the small apartment shack, that his family of two resided in.

Before dinner, he was training his genjutsu, and had been growing little by little everyday, in hopes of becomming the greatest user of genjutsu in the village. He hadn't learned a whole lot, but from what he could tell, it was definatley less that adequet to even be considered the "best". But knowing this pushed Shin even harder, he woul practice and train all day long, if he didn't have to do missions for money or other meaningless things.

Many of the shops where closing, it was a late night, and not many people had been outside. The moon was full, and overhead, he had wanted to go to a place nearby, that his mother brought him to many times as a kid. There was a waterfall leading into a creek, and lots of bugs around them. The main bugs around where fire ants and other insignificant creatures. He wasn't sure of what he was going to do when he got there, perhaps throw a couple of rocks down the stream, or just look at all the fireflys, stars, and think of all the good times.

He was a ninja now, not many of these where going to happen to him, and the chances to get out and be free where slimming down for every mission he takes. If he where to become a chuunin, than right away, all his free time would be out the window, he would be joining missions of higher ranks, fights, and wars. Shin got overly excited at that last word. He wanted nothing more than to become strong, and smart, to eventually join wars, and lead missions. It was his dream.

He finnaly encroached the top of the stream, and started to follow it down, when he saw something moving in the near distance. A girl was taking off what looked to be like a coat. She looked to be training, or finished training when Shin saw here.

"I've never seen her before..." Shin thought, wondering who this mistress was.

As he was peering closer, he stumbled, and a couple of rocks started to move beneath his feet. It was too late before he could catch his balance, and he fell straight into the small brooke that was flowing through. A loud splash could be heard, and an embarassed kid had hopped out of the water.